Saturday, July 16, 2016

Reflections on Black Lives

Last night, two young Black
Christian leaders from our community came to visit us.They joined a steady stream of young people who’ve
come to our home in the last few years seeking answers. One brother was primarily concerned about
unjust policing in our city, the other with the high crime rate in his
neighborhood.

Both of these issues have
affected them and their friends deeply. My
two young brothers expressed their frustration with measures that often lack
practical application, be they protest or prayer. They were united by their larger concern over
the lack of discipleship, the absence of applied biblical principles, and a prophetic
void – all three, they sensed, were at the heart of their frustrations. They expressed a profound sentiment: “‘Black Lives
Matter’ won’t matter to us until all
Black lives matter.”

They also came with a
question, “What do we do?”

Most folk acknowledge that
there are at least two versions of “black lives matter.” For the Christian, making some sort of
distinction makes it possible to participate in the movement for Black lives without
compromising fidelity to Scripture. Not
long ago, the two versions were distinct. They’ve since become so intertwined that it’s
worth revisiting how they’re framed and perceived, and how they might be evolving.

I affirm and engage this truth, and have encouraged and trained
other Christians to do the same as a part of God’s plan of individual and
cultural discipleship. I find these
affirmations and concerns have no conflict with Christian conviction. I’ve built decades of personal and academic
ministry on this truth – that Black lives do, indeed, matter to God, and
therefore are of immeasurable significance and worth.

On the other hand, “BlackLives Matter” (capitalized, “BLM”) is an ideology with clearly stated goals and
presuppositions. I would go so far to
say that the original “BLM” ideology, which started as a rally cry and grew
into an entity, has given rise to a cult with its own doctrines and demands for
faith.It now extends beyond the original entity, blending
with other belief systems in a syncretistic manner as it exports its own
iconography, its own language, and its own heroes for veneration.

Spiritual Elite

Honestly, I am more concerned
about this syncretistic subculture than I am about the original “BLM.”It is an infection that is finding its way
into Christian communities. Some things
I have observed about this subculture among Christians:

1)It comes dangerously close at times to binding consciences
by conflating holiness or true Christianity with grievance on the singular
issue of police brutality as defined by “BLM.”

2)It flirts with binding consciences by subtly emphasizing
public proclamation of commitment to “BLM” as evidence of commitment to Black
people — ignoring the myriad of other issues that Christians might be
addressing in their own personal and cultural spheres.

3)It borrows a language of exclusivity that suggests
some Christians enjoy a deeper knowledge of reality than others (e.g., “woke” vs.
“not woke,” commonly accepted by many in the movement for Black lives as an
“existential state of being”). This transfers
into the experiential, as when a Christian “gets woke,” one is now an
acceptable part of a spiritual elite.This
kind of language unwittingly draws unnecessary dividing lines in the Body that
Christ died to unify.

I question the
underpinnings of such language; it creates division based on a temporal
standard for inclusion.Those within the
Body who express concern or disagreement with this doctrinaire approach, or who
lack public displays of support for the “BLM” movement, can have their
authenticity questioned, be rejected, or ostracized. Surely, just policing is a legitimate pursuit
for the Christian activist.However, it
almost seems that for some, advocacy for just policing alone is becoming the
Gospel, and awareness of the issue its Pentecost.

Others have already
pointed out that “BLM” the entity holds
presuppositions regarding human flourishing that are at odds with much of biblical
truth. In our land of free thought and
speech, it is their Constitutional right to hold these beliefs. Their de-centralized form of leadership, however,
has opened the movement to chaos and uncontrolled rogues who aim to dehumanize others
under their banner, even at the most peaceful of protests. Couple this deficiency in the leadership’s
structure with their presuppositions of what constitutes human flourishing, and
the Christian is presented with an obvious dilemma that cannot be glossed over
with persuasive, yet simplistic pleas for “solidarity around a common cause.”

It has become increasingly
apparent that the differences between these two – “blm” and “BLM” – do not co-exist
as “tension to be embraced,” as it is touted by staunch “BLM” advocates in the
Body of Christ. Rather, it seems for a
number of Christians, the two are incompatible and for some, the two present an
irreconcilable confusion. These concerned
brothers and sisters should not be judged or marginalized for the courage of
their convictions.

As for using the hashtag,
it’s not essential to doing work that affirms Black lives, nor is its use
essential in order to work alongside others who advocate for criminal justice
reform and just policing. For example, a
cursory glance through the Equal Justice Institute’s Twitter feed this year shows
no consistent use of the phrase or the hashtag, even as they similarly pursue
their fine work of criminal justice reform.

We
need to walk in the wisdom of Jesus.He is
truly the Messiah, yet he did not identify with that title when he was in
Judea.Why?Because the term “Messiah” was grossly
misunderstood by the Judeans.*The same
applies to the confusion surrounding the “BLM” banner.

‘Where Is the Christian Voice?’

Not long ago, our
colleague and brother Anthony Bradley argued that
we don’t have to bend “BLM” the entity
into something it wasn’t originally designed to be; that is, into something
distinctly Christian. I agree with him. We also don’t need to rely on it to accomplish
cultural and social change. Christianity
should never be subject to anyone else’s movement.

In the same article Bradley
asked, ‘Where is the Christian voice in the conversation?’ Since his article
was published, a number of young Christians have developed organizations willing
to take on today’s issues withoutco-opting the language of “BLM.”Under their own unique titles, a number have organized
and are developing belief statements outlining parameters of agreement. I believe this will help them greatly as they network
to tackle today’s issues.

Belief statements are helpful
in that they display care for the Body of Christ, for society, and for
individuals who wish to collaborate by building parameters and defining
expectations. Such statements combat
confusion in two ways:

1)They show respect for the Constitutional right of the
original “BLM” entity to have their
own stated goals, beliefs, and intellectual property – even if it disagrees
with “blm” as a truth.

2)They help define and articulate the Christian’s
unique perspective on human flourishing.

In our collaborations, there’s
no need for either defensive posturing or for blind affirmation of the value
systems involved. In love for man and
faithfulness to God, we can show respect to the platforms of those who may
disagree with our foundations. It’s
telling, however, if they do not respect our foundations or our commitment to them
in return.

I’m also encouraged that these
same grassroots organizations are springing into action around just policing
and beyond, to all the issues that touch Black lives and into all spheres of
human flourishing. They are arming
themselves with a robust theology that can accomplish much, without compromise.
Likewise, my two young friends left our
home last night with a resolve to begin something of their own. It is up to God whether or not these movements
will grow beyond their local significance.Either way, my wife and I are personally committed to nurturing these
initiatives into something tangible and lasting.

Grateful

I would be remiss if I did
not mention those who have labored long in our communities, schools, courts, in
politics and in our legislature, and in our general society for years, bringing
the biblical Gospel to bear on the value of Black lives. Many who are new to today’s advocacy tend to ignore
this presence, stating that “the church was not there” on these matters.

This is not accurate history.

I know many of you…some are
younger, some are older. I’m a witness
that your advocacy for Black lives – including just policing – began long ago,
and continues a legacy started by those who came before us. You may not have been organized into
movements, but you were there. I’m
grateful for your faithfulness in the day to day, and I’m here to remind you
your work does not go unseen.

Caution

Unless a distinction is
clearly made between the two – “blm” and “BLM” – in the minds of the general
public and the larger Christian community, or unless organizations issue public
statements that distinguish between the two, I find myriad reasons why it’s unwise
for Christians to identify with or protest under the “BLM" banner since
other less compromising options are available.

For
the Christian activist, a distinction also needs to be made between reform,
revolution and revolt.Reform movements seek to improve the existing order.Revolution movements, if they are
committed to truth, seek to abolish the existing order and replace it with
a better one.Revolt movements just seek
to tear down the existing order.History
teaches us that without a better replacement as a goal, the result of a revolt
is often a new order that is worse than the one that was demolished.The inconsistencies, lack of accountability
caused by its decentralized leadership, and moral murkiness of today’s “BLM” leave
it vulnerable to becoming merely a revolt movement.

I have further concerns
that the gains and strides made by those who champion “blm” will be eclipsed by
the unchecked and counterproductive activities of “BLM.”As a result, I’ve spent a good portion of
this year advising those who ask me about the movement to use caution in
affiliating with “BLM” ideology, or when marching under the “BLM” banner.

Conclusion

I’ve only touched on a few
concerns here, but I’m open to dialogue further about the issue.

In closing, I don’t seek to
bind anyone’s conscience; my hope – as it’s always been – is to see young men
and women wisely build solid platforms on which they can generate tangible
changes for our communities, without doing harm to conscience or conviction.

Notes

*The
Samaritan ‘woman
at the well’ – in spite of her theological confusion – had a more correct
understanding of “Messiah.” Hence Jesus,
in this context, did not hesitate to use this language familiar to her and identify
himself as the “Messiah.”

18 comments:

Thank you for your thoughtful post, Dr. Ellis. I'm an InterVarsity staff working with Urban Programs, and would love to hear you--or be directed to where you've already written on--interact with any tensions you see between Christian faith and critical race theory. In the midst of entering into the activism of this generation in the spirit of Jesus' call that we live as good news to those on the margins, how do you see critical race theory assisting our understanding of godly opposition to systemic power abuses, and are there any ways you see it in conflict with a godly pursuit of biblical justice? If it's better to just email me personally, you can do so at scott.hall@intervarsity.org

Hi Scott, my latest blog, “Fine Dining or Dumpster Diving" mentions Critical Race Theory. It is not a deep analysis of this theory, but I point out why it is "not radical enough to carry the freight of” the issues of racism.

Brother Carl. I am deeply appreciative of your voice and life. Your book "Free At Last" is a treasure of wisdom that will reach generations To come once people get "woke" to its relevance. Thank you for this post and insight.

Doc Ellis, I'm grateful for your wisdom. Your words give us lyrics to a song that many of us have been singing in our heads. Now, we can speak aloud with gospel clarity and consciousness! Love and appreciate you much, Sir!

Stay on the wall Brother Carl. Will help disseminate the post which certainly, as a black evangelical commentary, contextualizes, clarifies, and calls serious followers of Christ to take every thought and make it captive to obey Christ and Christ alone (cf. 2 Corinthians 10:5).

Carl,I think you need to write more on BLM and listing the specific principles you agree and disagree with. For those who don't know, their principles can be found at http://blacklivesmatter.com/guiding-principles/

My question is do we need a distinct Christian voices within the movement? I ask because to believe so, to me, seems to imply that we cannot work side-by-side with BLM and that we cannot support those BLM principles that would be inappropriate for the Church but not for society.

To the concern expressed that Black Lives Matter won't matter until 'all black lives matter,' we should note one of the principles of the BLM states:

Finally, the distinctions made between revolt, revolution, and reform are very good. I would modify the one statement made about the need to have better replacements. The anarchist in me would modify that statement to say that without a firm commitment to participate in creating a new order, what replaces the old order either imitates or is worse than the old order. This was true with the Russian Revolution of October, 1917 and it became very evident with the Arab Spring movement in Egypt. The problem is that the masses usually have the energy to revolt, but they do not have the same interest in doing the necessary work that creates a new order. And without the participation of the masses in creating a new order, we are simply changing the first and last place teams rather than changing the game.

I already included a link to the “guiding-principles” of “Black Lives Matter.” The Bible affirms the humanity of all the groups mentioned on BLM’s website. The difference is in how human flourishing is framed. Acknowledging those differences should not be a hindrance to working side-by- side with others at clearly defined points of agreement. This is how I advise people about involvement with the "BLM" movement.

When I was a student under Francis Schaeffer, I learned the concept of “co-belligerency.” In my understanding, co-belligerency means that we can work “side-by-side” with others while staying under our own banner. This merely adds protection for the integrity of everyone’s vision involved.

Carl,What you call co-belligerency I call celebrating our agreements. And the more agreements we can celebrate, the more opportunities we will have to share what the Scriptures say. At least that has been my experience.

Keep up the good work. You (personally, the church and the whole of the USA) are in our prayers. Yes, Schaeffer's co-biligerency ideas have been so helpful to us over the years (both in the pro-life cause in Ireland and in Muslim-Christian efforts to fight AIDS in Africa). We in Northern Ireland have been through similar divisions to what you are (still) struggling with - Protestant (unionist) / Catholic (nationalist). It has taken years to heal but by the grace of God and in answer to prayer and by the hard work of Evangelicals (often behind the scenes) bridges have been built between our communities here. One measure that has helped us enormously was the disbandment of our former police force (RUC) followed by equal recruitment into the newly formed Police Service of Northern Ireland to reflect the community it is serving. I know that something like this has happened in some parts of the US but it needs to happen all over. This will meet resistance no doubt, as it did here, but we are all reaping the benefits today. Send me an email and we can talk more - sidjgarland@gmail.com

One day as African-Americans continue to move into reformed and other healthy biblical movements we will have more guys like Carl. More sages to speak into confusing moments. Until then I just need to say how much you are valued Carl. Since Rasool and I were at Howard University we have looked to you to be a voice of reason as we attempt to contrexualize the scriptures in an urban context. Because of your trusted voice....I read this article like marching orders. I praise God for your wisdom. Blessings....-james@bridgechurchnyc.com

One day as African-Americans continue to move into reformed and other healthy biblical movements we will have more guys like Carl. More sages to speak into confusing moments. Until then I just need to say how much you are valued Carl. Since Rasool and I were at Howard University we have looked to you to be a voice of reason as we attempt to contrexualize the scriptures in an urban context. Because of your trusted voice....I read this article like marching orders. I praise God for your wisdom. Blessings....-james@bridgechurchnyc.com

Dr. Ellis, thank you for your wise words. As you continue to engage this conversation, I'd love to get your perspective on the seeming silence of many white Christians to "black lives matter" until "Black Lives Matter" arrived and almost forced a response.

I can't speak speak for the whole of white men but I know there are many who grew up like me. I grew up in places where I did not witness the kinds of racial discrimination and brutality that I have since learned is a reality. The systemic and institutional racism taught me that what I was hearing in the recent media wasn't true. It has taken some digging, studying, and soul searching to learn the truth yet so many around me still sit as I did not too long ago, like a horse running a race with blinders on. I've since learned the pieces of our history that have been left out, the misrepresentation of many great black leaders. As a Christian my heart now cries out to the Lord for the oppression that I now know exists. It isn't easy coming to this reality because the white men still running with blinders on still believe they are being lied to. They truly don't have any malice in their heart. On the day they learn the truth they will repent immediately. I'm sure there are also many white leaders in this nation that aren't blind, they are driven by an oppressive leadership style but the corrupt leaders who turn a blind eye are different from the white congregations who haven't yet been enlightened to the truth. I hope Dr. Ellis will also respond to your post because he has been gifted with an exceeding amount of wisdom from the Lord and his writings have been a powerful influence. Mine is but a limited perspective but I hope understanding my perspective will help you to understand the depth of the problem just as I have had to learn from a different perspective.

Could you share, specially, any names/places of the other groups you are referencing?

"I’m also encouraged that these same grassroots organizations are springing into action around just policing and beyond, to all the issues that touch Black lives and into all spheres of human flourishing."

Your entry combines both the rhetorical power that calls attention and action to the issues that are real with the nuances necessary that address honest questions Christians would ask that want to be a part of the solution but cannot in good conscience before God and His Word embrace all the BLM requires to be judged authentically involved. Thank you Carl for helping the white members of body of Christ to not conflate the two - blm and BLM - and then used that conflation as a pretext for invalidating gospel driven attention to issues that afflict the lives of black people, other minorities and ultimately all lives. God bless you!

Search This Blog

Receive This Blog Via Email

Bookings and Inquiries

Contact EllisInquiries@gmail.comNote: We welcome comments that contribute to the discussion of any issue raised in this blog. While we encourage comments with a full name or signature, we do not require it. Comments are moderated; those that do not advance the engagement of the topic will remain unpublished.